The horror genre has a knack for subverting seemingly innocent concepts and turning them into excuses for instilling terror. After all, scary stories are full of playful little children that become eerie ghosts and cute dolls that come to life with murderous intent. One of the most infamous examples of this trope is the clown, a figure that’s been so extensively re-appropriated by horror that most people now know of them as instruments of evil rather than silly entertainers.
Over the years, we’ve seen a plethora of both supernatural and mundane clown-based characters that disguise themselves as harmless jokesters in order to lure their victims into a false sense of security. However, not all clowns are created equal, with some of them managing to turn their jolly makeup and ridiculous demeanor into the stuff of nightmares. That’s why we’ve come up with this list celebrating six of the scariest killer clowns in horror, as there are quite a few to choose from.
While this ranking is obviously based on personal opinion, we’ll be selecting characters according to scare factor and memorability, disregarding the overall quality of whatever movie they came from. As usual, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite killer clowns if you think we missed an important one.
Now, onto the list. Coulrophobiacs beware…
6. The Clöyne – Clown (2014)
Before helming Marvel’s recent Spider-Man trilogy, director Jon Watts tried his hand at clown horror with a 2014 flick appropriately titled Clown. Combining supernatural slasher tropes with body horror, the film tells the story of an ill-fated real estate agent who becomes cursed after putting on an old clown costume that slowly transforms him into a child-eating Icelandic demon.
Not only is this ravenous clown beast scary to look at, with a creepy design courtesy of Alterian, Inc. (who helped to create the iconic Daft Punk helmets), but the curse elements are also downright horrific. Seeing the main character’s body metamorphosize into a demonic satire of a costumed entertainer may be absurd at first, but it somehow makes things even more cruel when this innocent man’s life is torn apart by forces beyond his control.
5. Violator/Clown – Spawn (1997)
Even a lifelong Spawn fan like myself has a hard time defending this infamous comic-book adaptation, but I’d still argue that John Leguizamo’s interpretation of Todd McFarlane’s Violator is one of the best parts of the picture. The character’s extensive makeup and prosthetics are surprisingly faithful to the comics (despite Leguizamo comparing the costume to a full-body condom), but it’s the actor’s eerily humorous performance that makes him stand out.
A demonic mentor meant to guide Hellspawn during their quest to recruit evil souls for hell’s army, Violator earns his place on this list by being one of McFarlane’s scariest creations once he transforms into his true form. If you’d like to see more of this shapeshifting Clown, I’d highly recommend HBO’s underrated animated adaptation of Spawn, where Violator was creepily brought to life by Michael Nicolosi.
4. Art the Clown – Terrifier (2016)
While he originally graced the big screen in the horror anthology All Hallow’s Eve, Art the Clown really came into his own with his 2016 solo movie, Terrifier. Created by Damien Leone and brought to life by David Howard Thornton in the feature, this supernaturally evil clown has no apparent motive for his brutal Halloween killing sprees.
Unusual for a slasher villain, the mime-like Art is known for being extremely expressive despite never uttering a word, often taunting and mocking his victims before dispatching them in increasingly cruel ways. Thornton claims that he modeled his performance on Charlie Chaplin and DC’s Joker, giving the character more depth than most other Slashers.
3. Killer Klowns – Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)
A list of killer clowns obviously wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Chiodo Brothers’ horror comedy opus Killer Klowns From Outer Space, which introduced the world to a group of murderous extraterrestrials that just so happen to resemble grotesque earth clowns.
While there’s no specific clown from the film that’s scarier than the others (though my personal favorite is Jojo the Clownzilla), the entire troupe earns a place on this list due to their bizarre modus operandi, with the Klowns dispatching earthlings through absurd circus-themed weapons and powers. These silly space invaders may have a certain goofy charm, but they’re likely responsible for a massive coulrophobia epidemic during the late 80s.
2. Captain Spaulding – House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
From classic blaxploitation to Tarantino flicks, the legendary Sid Haig left behind an impressive cinematic legacy. However, I think it’s safe to say that his most iconic character is Captain Spaulding, who originally debuted in 2003’s House of 1000 Corpses. A serial killing clown with a penchant for fried chicken and gnarly insults, Spaulding is one of Rob Zombie’s most compelling creations and one hell of a creepy clown.
Spaulding really became a horror legend in 2006’s The Devil’s Rejects, where he led the Firefly family survivors during their escape from Sheriff Wydell while getting into top secret clown business along the way. The scariest part of the character was Haig’s ability to make him extremely likable in one moment and genuinely intimidating the next, playing with audience expectations in every scene he appeared in.
1. Pennywise – It (2017)
The president of the World Clown Association once directly blamed Stephen King for his profession’s bad reputation, so it’s no surprise that Pennywise takes the number one spot as the scariest killer clown in horror. While I’m a huge fan of Tim Curry’s charming take on the interdimensional villain, it’s Bill Skarsgård’s chilling performance that takes the cake as the most intimidating incarnation of this hellish creature.
A recurring curse that consumes the children of Derry every 27 years, Pennywise is notable for taking the form of a clown precisely so that he can trick kids into falling for his playful antics before making them fall victim to the madness-inducing deadlights. When it comes to killer clowns, it’s hard to top this one.
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